


Color

by ourshire



Category: Night at the Museum (2006 2009)
Genre: Ahkmenrah - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Soulmate AU, mature content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-31
Updated: 2015-05-19
Packaged: 2018-03-20 12:15:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3649980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ourshire/pseuds/ourshire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's something magical that happens to those who are lucky enough. Color is the world in which all of those who have soulmates reside, it is a world full of vibrant hues and new shades- a welcome change from the dull greys and whites to which many see. As Eden learns more about Color and her soulmate, she is shocked to learn that the person she is destined to spend the rest of her life with is, well, already dead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. From Museums to... Color?

     It wasn't supposed to be a life-changing day for Eden, but as fate would have it, she was in for a major surprise.

     Those who visited museums and art galleries normally could see the colors they had to offer, they'd met their soulmate and made use of their new sight. Eden didn't care that her world was one of dull greys and futile whites, she would see whatever she pleased. Besides, it's not as if she knew any different. She had heard stories of the wonderful world that is Color, but Color was never something she experienced. They say you can't miss something you never had, maybe it was true in this instance. She had also heard stories of the actual event of meeting one's soulmate and seeing Color. "It's like your world stops for a moment and shifts. Soon color floods your vision and there are these hues you've never seen before; you don't know their names or how to describe them, they just are Color. And when you make sense of things enough to realize what has happen, you look around to see who else is experiencing Color for the first time and there they are: eyes scanning the room as frantic as your own. And when those frantic eyes meet yours, another, stronger, burst of light shatters your mind. Just when you thought the vibrant colors couldn't be any more majestic, they change and you see them for their true color. And your soulmate meets up with you to enter Color together, it's-"

     "Bullshit." Eden made an annoyed noise in the back of her throat, "Color what a stupid name for a stupid world with stupid things. Not everyone even has a soulmate, so what's wrong with them that they can't see the world of Color?" she spit the word like venom. Eden thought she was one of those who's soulmate didn't exist. She had gone 20 years of life without meeting "the one" and she was giving up. Some didn't meet their soulmate until they were in their 30's or 40's, yeah, but Eden was so hopeful that college would bring her the man of her dreams, that when it didn't, she became bitter. Of course she still was in college which meant she still had a chance, but it felt highly unlikely at this point. So when she faced the entrance of the American Natural History Museum, Eden was fully prepared to view every exhibit in her own "Color"less world.

     The dinosaur skeleton caught her off guard, but the Teddy Roosevelt wax figure was comforting. Eden made it half way through the exhibits when she began to feel odd. Just a bit dizzy at first, then woozy, then...then the color. _The_ Color? It was subtle, almost pastel or light as she would describe it then. But growing, and very very odd. This color thing was like nothing she had ever seen before. That woman's hat was a different shade than her coat, did she know this? Did she see the man with the bright, bright shoes? Did she see any of this? Eden did, and it was almost exhilarating. When she got over the initial shock of Color, Eden began looking for whomever her soulmate was. No one stopped, no one else seemed to be seeing the world as she was. _No, this can't be. I can't be alone._

     She found the nearest bench and sat down, trying to calm her beating heart. But Eden's lungs heaved and her hands shook. She gripped the seat beneath her to stop the shaking, but her chest felt too tight and her throat too thick. She lifted her head to see the mural above her and tried to focus on breathing. She lowered her sight again and her vision blurred with white blotches that clouded her mind as well. "Miss? Miss! Are you-"

     "I think she's gonna pass out, somebody-"

      _They were frantic, why was everyone frantic?_  

* * *

 

     After the doctors had decided Eden was fine and simply experienced a panic attack (she didn't tell anyone she could see the faded colors that now seemed even more dull), she was allowed to leave on her own.

    _Maybe they're not as bright because I'm further away from my soulmate?_ Eden still felt sick at the thought of her soulmate not wanting to meet her.

     She headed back to the Museum with the idea that he or she might still be there waiting for her. Or at least come back to find her. It was almost closing time, but Eden paid no attention to the guard who told her so. "Sorry, just forgot something," she waved him off.

     "You really can't be here, it's time to close," he said, following her closely.

     She turned to him, slightly annoyed (it had been a long day), "listen, I can see Color. It happen here, I never come here and when I do, I meet my soulmate...or not really because they never came to found me and I couldn't find them. Why wouldn't they look for me?" She sniffled slightly and looked away from the night guard.

      "Maybe they couldn't come to look for you?" She wasn't sure what that meant. "I'm Larry, and you are?"

     "Eden, uhm, Eden Blackwood," she shifted her weight awkwardly and shook the man, Larrry's hand.

     "Why don't you stick around for a while? Maybe they'll show up after all," Larry offered a smile and handed her a flashlight.

     "Really? Thank you," she took the light and felt her heart beat soften. This was good, a step in the right direction so to speak. As Eden followed Larry about, she noticed the odd things he did to prepare for the night. A toy car with a bone attached? He made small talk with her, but never once mentioned the purpose of his actions. "Eden, you may be surprised to find that something interesting happens here at night."

    "Okay, what do you mean?" He had stopped walking and turned to face her, his face said he was completely serious.

    "The exhibits: the Dinosaur, the Mummy, even the statues, yeah they all come to life at night," he tested her reaction but she only laughed. "What?!" She tried to stifle her giggles, "please tell me you're joking." "Completely serious. I think you might meet your soulmate tonight, but they may not be someone currently living.."

   Her amused face dropped. "You cannot be serious. That's impossible." She folded her arms in defense and took a step back. Truthfully, this could have been a crazy man that she just met.

     "I need you to be open-minded. And to run when I tell you to," his voice rose and he backed up. Eden turned to see what he was looking at. She almost lost it right there. A giant- almost friendly looking- dinosaur made completely of bones stood opposite her with his tail wagging. She didn't wait for Larry's word, she turned on her heel and sprinted past him.

    "OKAY, RUN NOW!" He yelled sarcastically after her. His footsteps could be heard behind her. As Eden ran, she noticed other people moving about, and animals..? _Holy shit, he was serious, I'm so dead. This is it, this is how I die._ She kept running until she almost tripped on the toy car by the miniatures exhibits."Watch it lady!" A tiny southern laced voice yelped.

     "Turn now!" Larry yelled and she obeyed, turning into a hall. The little car raced by and the dinosaur followed. Eden leant up against the wall and put her hand to her chest, heaving.

    "Larry?" A calm voice called out. Eden turned and noticed an Egyptian exhibit from which the voice came. "Larry, I can see it," he sounded calm but surprised. Larry turned to look at Eden whose eyes were wide.

    "Ahkmenrah, come here please." A young man, dressed in the attire of a great Pharaoh appeared. His skin was golden and his hair dark. And his eyes-

    "Oh god," Eden whispered as Color grew brighter and new hues joined the mix. Ahkmenrah had to grab the wall to catch his balance. He looked up again to see the woman who was surely his soulmate.

     She was not short, but stood about a foot shorter than he. Her hair was dark brown with silver tips that cascaded down past her chest. Green eyes- although Ahkmenrah did not know they were called green- looked back at him in shock. Her pale skin had freckles like stars everywhere; darker ones across her face and light ones on her arms. Her black shirt and green jeans looked funny to him now that he could see their shades. He barely noticed that she began to move closer until she was right in front of him.

     "Hi," he breathed nervously.


	2. And Color to...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, I actually wrote it a while ago, but it didn't feel up to par. Oh well, you asked for it.

"You- you're an exhibit aren't you? One that's come to life?" At her words, Ahkmenrah snapped out of his reverie. An exhibit? He stopped thinking of himself one years ago.

"I suppose so," he stated calmly. She smiled slightly and stepped forward again. Ahkmenrah almost stepped back when she wrapped her arms around him, her hands linking behind his back. He stood stock still for a moment until he felt her relax and slowly wrapped his own arms around her. They stayed like that for a moment and Larry backed away grinning, leaving them alone. Ahkmenrah breathed her in, a smell like lavender and rosemary. It was odd to be holding a woman like this, something he wasn't used to, but refreshing. He wondered for a moment why she had embraced him.

When they broke, Eden looked almost sad. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry. That was out of line, we've only just met after all... even if you are my soulmate," she ran a hand through her hair and settled it on the back of her neck. _God that was ridiculous. You're just overwhelmed. That's all this is._

"I've lived my whole life without ever finding my soulmate," Ahkmenrah stated quietly, as if he meant to let her know he understood her actions.

"I thought I didn't have one. You must have as well, no?" He nodded, "Yes, and when I died and awoke for the first time I thought surely I had missed the time when my soulmate lived. It seems I was mistaken," he offered a small smile that Eden returned.

"This is absolutely insane," she caught herself, "I mean, I'm sorry, it's just I've gone all these years without you and when I do finally meet you, you're already dead. Is this real? I have to be dreaming, you're a pharaoh that died some 3,000 years ago, right?" She spoke with her hands which Ahkmenrah found endearing.

"This is real, and yes, it was a very long time ago that I passed. This is possible because, well, I can show you," he motioned forward, toward the Egyptian exhibit. Eden smiled tight lipped and followed the boy King. Two very large jackals bowed before them and Ahkmenrah took her past his sarcophagus to the gleaming gold piece on the wall. "My tablet, given to me by my father as a gift, its power is what gives me and the other museum inhabitants life."

"Incredible," Eden breathed out as she looked over the beautiful gold work careful not to miss a single detail. Ahkmenrah smiled at her comment, it was not all the time someone paid attention to his most prized possession.

"I was not sure you would believe me," he spoke suddenly, "magic is uncommon in this age." Eden turned to look at him. _God (gods?) he's beautiful._

"I've never witnessed anything like this, but don't you think the fact that we all still have soulmates is magical in and amongst itself?" He pondered this for a moment.

"Yes, I think you're right," he paused, "I, I did not introduce myself. I am Ahkmenrah, Forth King of the Forth King, ruler of the land of my fathers."

 _Well that makes me feel rather unimportant._ "Eden Blackwood, college student and aspiring author," she shook his outstretched hand.

"College? I studied at Cambridge University...sort of," she laughed and Ahkmenrah thought he'd never heard such a beautiful sound. It was one he'd try to hear as often as possible.

* * *

 

By Eden's fifth visit, which was exactly a month after her first, she knew everyone- most everyone's name. She arrived just before closing and stayed until Ahkmenrah or Larry forced her to catch a cab back home for lack of sleep and general slap happiness attained from- again- a lack of sleep.

"I do not think you have a healthy sleeping pattern little one," Ahkmenrah laughed after Eden slumped against him whilst they sat chatting in his little corner of the museum, as she would refer to it.

"What did Larry say that color was again?" She ignored him with a question, pointing to a rather large jewel on the wall.

"Red. Eden?"

"Yes?"

"As much as I hate to see you go, it is late and you seem exhausted," he slipped into Ancient Egyptian until Eden put a finger over his mouth to quiet him.

"Shhh, I don't know what you are saying young pharaoh," the look of confusion she got proved that it was accidental.

"I'm sorry, I was overthinking my explanation-"

"Explanation?"

He smiled and looked down to his hands in his lap, "I meant to explain why you need sleep and it was going to be very eye opening, but it seems I was too excited."She laughed and moved to hug him. With arms around his neck she whispered, "Goodbye young pharaoh." Although he was not young, he missed many of the experiences Eden had and grew up a prince with most everything handed to him.

As she got to her feet to leave, Eden felt Ahkmenrah grab her hand, "I often think how things might be different if you lived in my time," he began. Eden sat back down, this time directly in front of him with their knees touching and holding hands.

"Don't think of such things, it'll only get you down," she spoke persuasively, but he continued.

"I could take you on walks in the sunlight and show you a life that is nobility and rule. We could spend all day together and when you tired, I would too." Eden leant forward to peck him on the cheek and came back blushing, "how I would love that," she said, "but these are our circumstances and I think I'm lucky to have met my soulmate at all; I see Color and not many are so fortunate."

"Yes, I suppose you're right."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I knowwwwww my chapters are always so short, I just like to write short chapters and start new ideas in brand new chapters. This story is one I'm writing just for fun on the side, so I'm sorry to disappoint, but I wouldn't expect a lot out of it. Thanks for reading, I can't tell you when the next update will be, I'm in love with the idea, but I'm not motivated and I'm focused on other things right now. I'm so happy so many of you liked this! The idea is one of my absolute favs xx Kat

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, I'm Kat. I hope you enjoy this fic and be prepared for some sexual content in the future. I am one of the unfortunate enough to lust over a sexy pharaoh in a children's movie and write about it...
> 
> You can find me at elfscribe .co .vu on tumblr or just by my username: ourshire (ps the motivation will help with my writing)
> 
> xxKat


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